Continuous-tone piano action



"'J. F. VEACO CONTINUOUS TONE PIANO ACTION Filed June 24, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. famss'l' l eaco Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. VEAOO, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CONTINUOUS-TONE PIANO ACTION.

Application filed June 24, 1925. Serial No. 39,184.

This invention relates to a piano action, and an object of the invention is to provide apiano action which issimpler and more efiicient than some of the actions now in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the piano action will produce a continuous tone on any string at the will of the player, without in the slightest degree interfering with the usual operation of the action or the music produced thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the continuous tone may be increased or diminished in volume at will.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the slack motion bridle,

commonly a small leather strap, will be replaced by a wire arm, which also acts to raise the continuous tone hammer, as well as to cause the reseating of the key hammer.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the damper spoon can be adjusted to its proper place from the front of the piano action without removing.

it therefrom, and without removing the wippen from the piano. V

I Another object of the invention is to pro vide the key hammer with a steel shank, upon which the hammer is easily rotated and held in any given position by friction,

I the object being to enable the hammer to be extracted or replaced in a proper position.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that piano actions must be installed very close together, and must be of a minimum thicknessto prevent the required number frombecoming too great in length, so that in the present case the change from wooden to steel in certain parts is for the purpose of allowing the necessary strength in the parts, while not increasing the total length of the series of parts that make up a complete piano action.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the player will have under his controlthe operation of the continuous tone action, as well as the speed at which it operates, so that the tone may be varied at will.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the cam, which oper ates the continuous tone hammers will be caused to stop in such a position as not to interfere with the usual. operation of the piano'action, and means is also provided whereby the player can increase or diminish the stroke of the continuous tone hammer to increase or diminish the loudness of the tone at will. A

' Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide means tooperate the continuous tone will appear tion of the piano case showing the operating mechanism for thecontinuous hammers.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the case with the key-board removed and showing the position of the lever for shifting the driving mechanism from one speed to another speed.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the driving mechanism showing the means for shifting the driving gear, looking from the lef Fig. 1.

, Fig. 5 is I 7 showing a piano action with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. v6 is a front elevation of the piano action as shown in Fig. 5.

Fi 7 is asection on line 7-7, Fig. 8. showlng the continuous tone hammer operating mechanism, slightly modified, as an action complete in itself, independent of the standardpiano hammer action.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the View shown in Fig. 7.

The numeral 1 represents the case of the" piano, which has the usual keys 2, sup ported in the usual manner over the projecting front 8 of the case. i

As is common at the present time, the series of piano actions are supported by four vertical extending frames 4:, 5, 6 and 7, which frames are in turn connected to and a section on line 66, Fig. 6,

its)

supported by the flanged guide rail 8, the

main rail 9, and the fixed spring rail 10. A

small regulating rail 11, is also carried by a series of projecting arms 12, connected to the rail 9, and the button 13, regulated by the screw eye 14%, determines the proper striking effect of the jack The key 2 is mounted in the piano frame in the usual manner, and when dew-n rests upon the felt strip 15, which. extends under the keys.

Each key is provided with a capstan screw 16, which can be adjusted to hold the abstract in any (resired position with respect to the rest of the piano movement. The abstract 17 is pivotally connected to the wippen l8, and to a guide link 19, the latter being pivotally connected to a small block 20, secured on the back of the rail 8 by means of a screw 21.

The wippen 18 is pivotally connected to a small block 22, secured on the back of the main rail 9 by means of a screw 23, and it has a hole in its front to receive one end of the damper spoon 2a. The damper spoon in this case consists of a rod bent substantially at right angles at 25, and then bent 180 at 26, to allow one end to be inserted in the hole at the front end of the wippen, where it is fixed in position in any desired adjustment by a set screw 27.

The result of the foregoing construction is that the spoon can be adjusted with respect to its contact with the pad 28 on the damper lever 29 bysliding it in or out of the hole in the front end of the wippen, and without otherwise changing its position, without removing it from the action, and without removing the act-ion from the piano.

On the top of the wippen is the lack itiange 30,..to which the jack 15 is pivoted, and the wippen also carries a spring 31, which bears upon the underside of the horizontal portion of the jack to hold it normally in the position shown in Fig. 5.

The damper lever is pivotally mounted on a small block 32, secured on the top of the main rail 9, by the screw 33, and said lever carries a spring 34, and a rod 35, to which the damper 36 is connected.

When the jack causes the hammer 87 to strike the string 88, the jack comes against the padded jack check rail 39, which rail is supported by several screws 40 extending into the rail 9. Secured by suitable screws to one of the upper vertical surfaces on the rail 9, is a plate 42, which has a projecting post 43, to provide a liearing for each of the pivots 44;, which extend tln'ough the several hammer butts d5. Each hammer butt padded in the usual manner, but instead of having the ordinary wooden shank, each hammer butt is provided with a metal. shank 46, which is held in place by means of a set screw 47, and at its upper end the shank extends in the hammer far enough to insure adequate friction to hold the hanuner in any given adjustment required of it across the piano, note the different positions of the hammers in Fig. 1.

The wippen also supports a shank on the upper end of each of which shanks there is a padded back check 51, this padded back check strikes the padded head 52 on the shank 53, extending from the hammer butt to hold the hammer in the proper position after it has struck the string.

In order to quickly return the hammer to a position away from the string 38, the spring 54 is provided, which strikes the top of the block 52 when the hannner goes up.

The fixed spring rail 10 is provided with a plurality of pads 55, which support the movable hammer rail 56. The movable hammer rail is carried by a series of arms 57, which are pivotally mounted. in the vertical frame members at 58, the object being to provide means for lifting the hammers closer to the strings, in a manner well known in the art, and forming no part of the present inven tion.

In the present instance it will be seen that the movable hammer rail has depending lugs at 57, adjacent each of the vertical frame members to allow it to rest upon the pads 55, at the proper elevation without interfe ing with the blocks 58, which form the pivotal support for the butts 59 of the continu ous tone hammer shanks 60.

The continuous tone hammer shanks 60 are bent vertically attheir ends nearest the strings and they each carry a butt 61, to which a flexible flat spring hammer shank 62 is secured. This hammer shank has a pad 63 along its entire length, and at its upper end, it is provided with a felt hammer 64:.

Extending the entire length of the piano is a rod 65, which is provided with cam 66, and at one end the shaft has the drive pulley 67, said pulley having a pin 68 on the same side of the shaft as the cam 66, for an object presently to be described. The shaft extends through, and is journallcd in all of the frames at to 7 inclusive.

At the top of each of the frame members there is a shaft 69, which shaft has a suitable crank arm 70 for its operation by the lever 71, extending by suitable linkage 72 into a convenient place for the player to operate.

This shaft is provided with a plural arms 73, so that by turning the shaft continuous tone hammers can be held close:- to the strings than they are to diminish the blow which they will strike.

The arms 73 are each provided with a small felt roller 73 for pushing the hammer 64 toward the strings with the least tion, and the player softens the effect 0 lit! ; will. and forming per the small hammers by pushing the link 72, which is connected to the lever 70, extending from one ofv the arms 7 3. i

It. is well understood by those skilled in the art that the location of the several levers is intended to be merely diagrammatic for the purpose of illustration, their actual location and the precise linkage for a "finished instrument being variable" at se no part of. the present invention.

It will be seen that struck that the hammer head 52 strikes the spring '51-, said spring when the key 2 is '1 being supported from the rail by a small block 5%, secured thereunder. This spring is for the purpose of quickly pushing the hammer back with the head 52, and stop 51 in contact, but it is also necessary to pull the hammer 37 back quickly and to pull the small hammer 64: down on the damper These latter results. are accomplished by the rod which has a slot through which the screw 81 passes for the. adjustment of the rod 80 with respect to the shank of the hammer.

This result is attained by loosening the screw 81, and moving the rod 80 until it strikes the rod 46 at just the correct instant, and to lift the shank 60 to bring the shank 62 into contact with the cam 66.

Examining now, Figs. 1 to 1, it will be seen that the lever is arranged to hold the cam in either the up or down position when stopped, said lever being operated by the pin 68 on a slidable block 91.

The block 91 is slidable over the rod 92 connected to the block 93 and to the case of the motor M. The slidable block enables the friction .wheel 941 to be slidably moved along the shaft 96 and across the face of the friction disk 95 whereby the cam may be driven, at any desired speed.

Now it will be seen that in the event that i the electric motor be started that the disk 95 will push the wheel 94 from a low speed position to a high speed position and at the same time the lever 90 will be disengaged from the wheel pin 68, to allow the cam to rotate. A, link 96 and lever 97 afford means for the player to operate the cam 66 at any desired speed and the rod 72 allows the necessary adjustment of blow.

The back end of the rod 80 is shaped like the letter U turned sidewise, and embraces the rod 60, so that when the steady rest.51

advances it will lift the small hammer 64: and at the same time bring its spring shank closer to the cam 66.

At the back of the rail 9, there is the loud pedal rod 100, common to many actions. r A

The motor M rests on abracket 101, secured inside the frame 1, and the large is thrown up so the friction pulley 95 drives the small pulley 67 by the belt 102.

It will also be seen that the top of the lever 90 is t -shaped to insure pushing the pin 68 up or down when the motor is stopped, this being necessary because of the small space in which the cam 66 must operate. 1

The playing of the piano precisely the same as the playing of any other piano, and if the notes are short there will be practically no audible difference in the music produced, but whenever there is a sustained note the tone of the note will be actually sustained throughout the entire period desired, because the hammer 6 1 will be striking the string at a rate so fast. that the ear cannot detect the separate blows, and because the damper also lifted off the string at this same time.

If a chord is struck the tone of the chord will continue as long as the keys are held depressed, and. the loudness of the tone will be regulated by the rod 72.

It will also be seen that the part of the rod 80, at 80, embracing the rod, 60, extends into the pathof the hammer shank 46, and servesas the common slack motion bridle straps do to pull the hammer back quickly. This also away with lost motion be tween the jack and hammer butt when the soft pedal is used.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8. the continuous tone hammer operating mechanism is shown as indepenc ent of the standard piano hammer action as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, and forms a complete musical instrument in itself, on which a wide variation of tones can be obtained by adjustments and modifications.

This actionis very simple and consists of the frame of which thereare usually four in instrument, mounted on the frames are the rails 106, 1.07, 108. The rail 106 has fixed thereon the block109 in which is pivoted the butt 110 to which the continuous tone hammer shank 111 is attached, and on the upturned end of which a butt 11.2 is fixed.

The flexible spring shank is shown at 113,

.the felt hammer 1.1 1, and felt pad 115.

pad is indicated at 122, the wippen at 123 is pivoted on the block 124 which issecured to the rail 107.

In this instance the damper spoon 125 is adjustably held by means of a screw 126 in a longitudinal hole through the wippen, The winpen is operated as usual by means v f of the key 127, the abstract 128, guide link Til 129 pivoted to the block 130, and 131 is the adjusting; capstan.

The wippen 123 is connected to the hammer 1.11 by means of the wire rod 182, which has both ends threaded, one being screwed into a block pivoted on the \vippen and the other end being: clamped into a tLshaped loop in the shank 111 by means of the wooden nuts 183 and 134, lined with felt 135 and 136.

The cam is shown at 18?, mounted on the rod 138, which has hearings in the frames 105, and has the pulley wheel 139 which adapted to be driven by an electric motor, or other power means. in the same manner as described for the Figs. 1 to (5 inclusive.

To soften the effect of the hammer 11 1, a rod 140 provided, mounted to sw'i r in on the pivots M1, bymeans of the links 14-52, a collar 1-13 with a rod handle 14 1 is provided for pushing the rod 1 on the felt pad of the hammer.

The operation of this action is as hen the key is pressed down the rod 132 is raised, and with it the shank 111 carrying the hammer 114-, up within ra oi the cam 13'? which is revolving at a predetermined speed, or at a speed that an be varied at will.

By pushing on the handle 1414. the rod comes in contact with the felt pad on the hammer shank and causes the hammer to make shorter strokes, and thus the tone can be softened at will.

hat I claim is as follows, but var ous modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described form, within the purview of my invention.

1. In a piano action, a key, wippen, damper lever, hammer and means connect ing them tor the usual playing operation,

follows I and a damper spoon adapted to be moved to bear upon a damper lever, said spoon being" bent substantially at a right angle adjacent the damper lever, and bent substantially at its opposite end, to be slidable into a hole in the front end of the wippen, whereby it may he adjusted to the proper position with respect to the damper tron'i the front of the piano, and without removing the wippen theretroni.

2. A stringed instrument of the class dew; .ibed comprising a piano string, a ham- H161 mounted on a butt by means of a spring and action, a revoluble cam, a shank connee-tine said butt with a pivot block, a wippeu o zrated by the piano action, an adjustable rod connecting; said wippen with said hammer shank whereby said hammer may be raised within striking distance of said strings and within the path of the cam, said cam being adapted to throw said hammer against said string and power means tor operatin said cam.

.3 str' d instrument ot the class de- .--:c=ihed comprising: two or more vertical iu'ics on which are mounted transverse horizontal rails in parallel and spaced relation one above another, a hammer shank pivoted to the upper of said rails, said shank being; upturned and carrying a butt, :2 tier-:ihle spring extending" upward from said butt, a felt hammer on said spring, a :t'elt linin, ?or said spring and butt, a motor driver. cam adapted to strike said fleX- ible spring" and cause said hammer to strike a piano strin when said hammer shank is raised, means to raise said shank by st ikiug a piano key and means to regulate the strokes of said hammer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of June, A. D. 1925.

JAMES F. VEACO. 

